RD1 Locus in the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Genome Contributes to Activation of Caspase-1 via Induction of Potassium Ion Efflux in Infected Macrophages

• Published in: Infection and Immunity 2009-09, Vol.77 (9), p.3992-4001
• Main Authors: Kurenuma, Takeshi, Kawamura, Ikuo, Hara, Hideki, Uchiyama, Ryosuke, Daim, Sylvia, Dewamitta, Sita Ramyamali, Sakai, Shunsuke, Tsuchiya, Kohsuke, Nomura, Takamasa, Mitsuyama, Masao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; Carrier Proteins - physiology; Caspase 1 - metabolism; Caspase-1; Cell activation; Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular Interactions; Cytoskeletal Proteins - physiology; Enzyme Activation; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genome, Bacterial; Genomes; genomics; Immunity; Infection; interferon receptors; Interferon-beta - physiology; Interleukin 1; Interleukin 18; Interleukin-18 - physiology; Interleukin-1beta - physiology; Interleukin-6 - biosynthesis; Ion Transport; Macrophages; Macrophages - metabolism; Macrophages - microbiology; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Molecular modelling; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - genetics; Nigericin; Nigericin - pharmacology; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Potassium; Potassium - metabolism; potassium chloride; Purine receptors; Receptors, Purinergic P2 - physiology; Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; Signal transduction; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - biosynthesis; Virulence
• ISSN: 0019-9567; 1098-5522
• DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00015-09

A genomic locus called "region of difference 1" (RD1) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been shown to contribute to the generation of host protective immunity as well as to the virulence of the bacterium. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism, we investigated the difference in the cytokine-inducing ability between H37Rv and a mutant strain deficient for RD1 (ΔRD1). We found that RD1 is implicated in the production of caspase-1-dependent cytokines, interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-1β, from infected macrophages. The expression of these cytokines was similarly induced after infection with H37Rv and ΔRD1. However, the activation of caspase-1 was observed only in H37Rv-infected macrophages. The cytokine production and caspase-1 activation were induced independently of type I interferon receptor signaling events. We also found that the activation of caspase-1 was markedly inhibited with increasing concentrations of extracellular KCl. Furthermore, the production of IL-18 and IL-1β and caspase-1 activation were induced independently of a P2X7 purinergic receptor, and the inability of ΔRD1 in caspase-1 activation was compensated for by nigericin, an agent inducing the potassium ion efflux. Based on these results, we concluded that RD1 participates in caspase-1-dependent cytokine production via induction of the potassium ion efflux in infected macrophages.